McMullan Arts Leadership Internship, Experience Design, Visual Design

The Art Institute of Chicago shares its singular collections with our city and the world. We collect, care for, and interpret works of art across time, cultures, geographies, and identities, centering the vision of artists and makers. We recognize that all art is made in a particular context, demanding continual, dynamic reconsideration in the present. We are a place of gathering; we foster the exchange of ideas and inspire an expansive, inclusive understanding of human creativity.

The Experience Design team is the creative studio at the heart of the museum, hosting a multidisciplinary team of visual designers, architects, video and audio producers, developers, project managers and integration specialists. The Visual Design team is responsible for all things visual in the museum—ranging from exhibits, to print materials, digital products, environmental and service design, and brand.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The McMullan Arts Leadership Internship in Visual Design, under the mentorship of the Creative Director, Senior Designer and Associate Designer, offers the opportunity for a designer early in their career to explore their interests and refine their skills through a broad range of creative projects.

The intern will join a museum-wide intern cohort and have access to a range of programs to support their development in addition to their placement in Experience Design. Mentorship is provided throughout the experience and connections with an intern alumni network will be established.

• Expected Range: $16.73 per hour
• Job classification: Intern
• Grade level: Not applicable

Goals of the McMullan Arts Leadership Internship Program

The McMullan Arts Leadership internship program is part of a museum-wide effort to provide students the opportunity to gain experience, career awareness, networks, and skills that will position them to thrive as future art museum leaders.

This program specifically aims to support students who encounter economic challenges when considering a career in the arts. Aligned with this goal, we aim to help shape a diverse group of leaders whose actions are informed by a wide range of perspectives, varying career paths, and values inspired by their own lived experiences.

INTERNSHIP OUTCOMES:

In this position, the intern will have the opportunity to:

● Support creative concepts by designing inspiration research, interpreting creative briefs, and generating design ideas that interpret the goals for exhibitions, printed material, campaigns, and brand work.

● Support production design by assisting the design team with production across many visual design formats including: exhibition graphics, wayfinding and campus signage, marketing campaigns, digital products, moving image, and printed materials.

● Participate in the design process by collaborating with other members of the Visual Design team and participate in group design crits and feedback sessions. They will be regularly encouraged to provide and receive constructive feedback.

● Contribute to authentic and original creative work by supporting the unique voice and identity of the Art Institute and its dynamic programming. They will help explore a rich visual vocabulary to find the best solution for the design challenge.

● Support the museum in its commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable institution.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

● On-site Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 am–5 pm.

● Be present for installations, stakeholder work sessions, and key meetings.

● Execute poster, signage, and label layouts in InDesign; trim and mount materials as needed.

● Conduct color studies to support production.

● Present design research and project development as identified in collaboration with mentors.

● Participate in weekly design critiques; must be comfortable sharing conceptual work and project processes in a collaborative team setting.

● Transport signage and materials throughout the museum (may include vinyl rolls or medium-to-large pieces).

● Assist with measurements and installations, including use of ladders or step-stools.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

● Undergraduate or graduate student; recent graduates (within one year of graduation) will also be considered;

● Applicants must be based in the Chicagoland area and/or attending school in the Chicagoland area over the course of the internship term;

● Strong interest in developing typographic skills and understanding of grid systems;

● Creatively approach to the use of typography, image, and color;

● Proficiency in Adobe’s Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro);

● Comfortable working in a team environment and contributing to group discussions as well as receiving feed